Roy's Uncle, Artemis's Father
by Skylark Evanson
Summary: And the clone didn't even look up from his food as he mumbled out, "Well, I was busy. Besides, I met Artemis's dad while I was out."


**A/N: Because Roy has an uncle.**

**Disclaimer: No.**

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><p><strong><span>Roy's Uncle, Artemis's Father<span>**

Conner came back the day after Thanksgiving. It was only after M'gann had sent out a huge search party in order to find the lost clone that he came home, meaning the rest of the team had to come in from the search in the field to see M'gann sucking on his face. Which was especially _pleasant_ for both Wally and Artemis.

"We're glad you're okay, Conner, but seriously, don't do that again. We were all distraught," said Robin as he picked at the leftovers from the cave's Thanksgiving. Megan had prepared it with Zatanna's help for the magician and the two boys whom had joined them both; Kaldur had come to the surface to learn of the surface tradition of feasting over historical moments.

"Definitely not feeling the aster," remarked KF from where he shoved yet another handful of cranberries in his mouth.

"And let me tell you, none of us were very chalant." Zatanna fired off a glare at the clone before taking Kaldur's plate away towards the sink for a good washing.

All the others, through mouthfuls of food, muttered their agreement. No one wanted to leave their homes just to look for a missing sixteen-year-old. Especially when the break from school was so short.

Conner gave only a slight grunt before taking a bite out of a turkey leg. "I was busy."

Megan was the first to try and lighten up the mood, taking a tray of cookies around, everyone taking one. (Wally took five.) "As long as you're safe, that's all we can ask for, Conner." She flashed him the sweetest kind of smile as another silence settled over the room of young heroes.

And the clone didn't even look up from his food as he mumbled, "Well, I was busy. Besides, I met Artemis's dad while I was out."

On the other side of Robin, the blonde began to cough, almost choking on a spoonful of stuffing. Beside Artemis, the dark-haired acrobat gave her back a good slap and hoped for the best, relief flooding into his hidden gaze when she was breathing again.

Everyone was dead silent as Artemis regained her voice, spitting out "What all did he tell you?" in a hissing voice, words sounding poisonous as if right from a snake's tongue.

Conner was quiet for a moment, eyes looking her over. Her eyes were blazing, and she looked almost like a madwoman for a moment; yet he could sense fear coming from her at the same time. "Just that he was Roy's uncle."

He almost let out a sigh of relief but bit it back at the last second. She resumed picking at her food with a fork, eyes averted from the rest of the team. "Wrong side of the family."

"But he's Roy's uncle," said Conner, running through the logic and the information that Cadmus had fed him. "And since Green Arrow is Roy's father-"

With disinterested eyes, Wally cut in, saying, "That's actually not true."

"Roy's adopted," filled in Robin, not looking at the team.

Neither really liked spilling Red Arrow's secrets without his permission. Who knew what the crimson archer would do if he knew his friends were spilling out his life's story to the team…

The speedster gave a slight cough. "Yeah."

"So that wasn't your dad, Artemis?" asked Zatanna from the sink, the task of doing dishes completely forgotten in the wake of Conner's claim. Her gaze was trained perfectly on the blonde, who refused to look at the rest of the team.

"No." She prodded at a pool of gravy on her plate, finding the faint ripples very interesting. "Roy's adopted. So it's his biological uncle, meaning not related to me, obviously." Artemis found her logic very convincing in itself, figuring this would divert any further questions.

There was a pause. And Conner quietly said, "I never said he was Roy's biological uncle."

Artemis didn't need to answer anything. The archer took her plate and moved towards the couch, ready to fend off all questions by either ignorance or a simple "Shut up" or "Leave me alone". She was already moving away with eyes watching her back as the rest of the team sat silently in the kitchen area.

Because they still didn't know. She didn't want them to know. They didn't need to know. She wasn't related to Roy. And Conner didn't meet her father. Whoever he'd met was _definitely_ not Artemis's father. She would deny it to the death.

And yet, in some dark recess of her mind, she wished she'd claimed whoever it was as her father rather than still facing the lie. Maybe whoever Conner had met was better than her own father. Maybe she could've escaped the scrutiny.

The clang of dishes and the scraping of forks continued as the day after Thanksgiving rolled on.

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><p><strong>AN: Crappy job on this.**

**~Sky**


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